I am a strong proponent of serenity. The more even-keel and balanced we can be, the more we can weather the ups and downs that life throws at us. Here are keys for using feng shui to bring serenity into every aspect of your world.

First, look at the way colors relate to your world. We all have different color associations, and that's fine! One person might equate turquoise with a scary hospital they stayed in, so it causes them stress. Another person might adore turquoise as a soothing, relaxing color. I love soft blue-green colors. To me they are serene and relaxing. Others might adore a gentle yellow-cream color. Examine your color wheel and see what calls to you.

Next, reduce the electronic footprint of your chosen area. All those blinky lights and red flashing things and whirrs and humms catch at your mind and reduce your ability to relax. Unplug them all. Put them somewhere else. You might be amazed at how much better you sleep and relax once those things are banished to another room.

I adore fountains, and find them quite relaxing. I have a fountain in my home office and the quiet burbling soothes me. Most advisors, though, caution you not to put a fountain in your bedroom. The trickling noise could keep you awake. This is intriguing to me because I deliberately run an air filter in my room to drown out ambient noise like dogs barking. So to me a water fountain would provide that same "soothing background noise" that helps me to sleep. So this is a case where your individual circumstance will help you know what to do.

Clutter can be draining and distracting. Do your best to remove clutter and neaten the area. Also, think about the way it smells. Is it stale smelling, or bad smelling? That can impede your serenity. Find an aroma that soothes you. Many people are soothed by lavender, but others enjoy chamomile or rose. Play with fragrances to see what helps.

Soft lighting is usually a serene-bringing change that can be made. Soft candlelight or dim lighting can help ease your worries. Of course if this is an area that you need to do something visual in, like needlework, be sure to have spot lighting to help you with that particular task.